Detachable tag



De. 29, 1936. E. WILLIAMS DETAOHABLE TAG Filed June 1, 1936 INVENTOIQ ATTORNEYS Patented Dec. 29, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENT @FFHQE 8 Claims.

This invention relates to tags or tickets for attachment to fabrics, particularly tags for use on garments, cloth and the like, to show price, size, the grade of material, or any other desired information.

A broad object of the invention is to provide a tag that can be quickly attached. or removed while at the same time resisting accidental removal.

Another object is to provide a detachable tag having pointed metal fastening elements so arranged that it is difficult, if not impossible, for an operator to prick himself while attaching or removing a tag or while handling a garment vto which the tag is secured.

To the best of my knowledge, it has been the practice heretofore to secure tags to clothing either by sewing the corners of the tag to the fabric with thread and needle or by using a U-shaped wire clip which is attached to the tag during manufacture, the points of the clip being forced through the fabric to which the tag is to be attached and bent back on the other side of the fabric. Sewing is objectionable .because it is slow and expensive and also because the thread often breaks, or the end pulls out, thereby permitting the tag to become detached. The tags having wire clips thereon that have been employed heretofore are subject to the criticism that the sharp points are not protected and operators frequently prick their fingers in attaching or removing the tags or in handling the garments to which the tag is to be attached.

In accordance with the present invention, I avoid the foregoing difliculties of the tags heretofore used by imbedding a spring wire in the tag (preferably by forming the tag from two layers of paper or cardboard glued together with the wire positioned between the two layers) and extending one or both ends of the wire out of the tag and pointing the ends of the wire and so curving them that they are directed toward one face of the tag, whereby they are adapted to grip or clamp a fabric against the tag. With this arrangement the point or points of the wire are protected and at the same time a means for securely locking the tag to the fabric is provided.

This application is in part a continuation of my application Serial No. 740,612, filed August 20, 1934.

In the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tag in accordance with the invention;

Fig. 2 is a detailed view showing a modified form of construction for use in connection with the type of tag shown in Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a detailed view showing still another modified form of construction for use with the type of tag shown in Fig. 1.

Referring to Fig. 1, the tag therein depicted is adapted to be secured to a fabric surface at any point thereon and comprises two sheets of cardboard-l and 2, respectively, glued together, between which there are anchored two simple wire elements 3 and 4, respectively, positioned adjacent the two opposite ends of the tag. Each of the elements 3 and t comprises two straight sections 5 and two straight sections 6 lying in the same plane and imbedded between the two layers of the tag. The sections 6 extend beyond the ends of the tag and merge into straight sections 7 which extend parallel to the plane of the tag but at right angles to the sections 6. These sections '5 in turn merge into straight sections 8 which extend substantially parallel to the sections 6 and merge into curved hook portions E3, the sharpened tips of which normally bear against the face of the tag. To secure the tag to a fabric surface, the hook tips [3 are displaced away from the tag by exerting pressure on the sections I, thereby permitting a small fold of the fabric (to which the tag is to be attached) to be engaged between the surface of the tag and the tips 53. Thereafter release of the sections 1 causes the hooks it to firmly clamp the fabric against the surface of the tag.

In the modification shown in Fig. 2 the flexibility of the straight portion 6 of the wire immediately adjacent the edge of the tag is coiled into a loop M to provide increased flexibility at that point and facilitate manipulation of the hooks.

The modification shown in Fig. 3 is exactly the same as that disclosed in Fig. 1, except that the straight portions 6 of the wire have been flattened as indicated at l5 adjacent the point of emergence from the card to increase the flexibility and facilitate manipulation of the hooks.

It is important to note that with the construction described the pointed tips of the wire hooks are directed toward the face of the tag so that the fabric is clamped firmly between the tip and the tag. Furthermore, this construction makes it almost impossible for an operator to contact the sharp tips of the wires with his fingers either while attaching or removing the tags or while handling garments to which the tags are secured.

Furthermore, in the type of tag described it will be observed that that portion of the wire which is imbedded between the two layers of the tag extends over a relatively large area of the tag and furnishes a very desirable reinforcement for stiffening the tag.

Although the form of the tag has been described in detail only with reference to a preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that variations may occur to those skilled in the art and the invention is therefore to be limited only as set forth in the appended claims. 15

I claim:

1. A tag of sheet material in combination with means for attaching the tag to a fabric surface, comprising a length of spring wire a portion of which is imbedded in the tag and an end portion of which extends exterior of said tag, in which said end portion extends, beyond its point of emergence from the tag, first away from the tag and then back toward the tag, the tip of the wire normally contacting a surface of the tag and the wire having such natural resilience and sufiicient length exterior of the tag to permit deflection of the tip away from the tag for insertion of a fabric between the tip and tag without permanent deformation of the Wire.

2. A tag as described in claim 1 in which a portion of the wire exterior of the tag and adjacent the point of emergence therefrom is coiled to increase the permissible opening movement of the tip.

3. A tag asdescribed in claim 1 in which the wire is flat in cross section adjacent and exterior of the point of emergence from said tag and is substantially round in cross section elsewhere, whereby the wire bends most readily adjacent said point of emergence.

4. A tag of sheet material in combination with means for attaching the tag to a fabric surface comprising a length of spring wire, the mid portion of which is imbedded in the tag and the end portions of which extend through one end of the tag, each end portion extending beyond its point of emergence from the tag first away from the tag and then back toward the tag, the wire having such natural resilience and the portions of the wire exterior of the tag being of sufiicient length to permit deflection of the tips from the tag for insertion of a fabric between the tips and the tag, without permanent deformation of the wire.

5. A tag as described in claim 4 in vwhich the, tag is rectangular in shape and in which a wire of the type described is provided in each end of the tag, the ends of each wire being spaced substantially the width of the tag, whereby the four tips of the two wires are positioned adjacent the four corners of thetag.

6. A tag of sheet material in combination with means for attaching the tag to a fabric surface comprising a length of spring wire, a, portion of which is imbedded in the tag and an end portion of which extends exterior of said tag through one edge thereof for an appreciable distance, beyond which the wire extends for a short distance in a direction parallel to said edge of the tag, then back toward the tag substantially in the plane of the tag and extended therebeyond in a curved line first away from one surface of the tag and then toward the surface, the tip of the wire normally bearing against the surface. but being deflectable therefrom in response to pressure against that portion of said tag which is parallel to said edge.

7. A tag as described in claim 6 in which a portion of the wire exterior of the tag and adjacent the point of emergence therefrom is coiled to increase the permissible opening movement of the tip.

8. A tag as described in claim 6 in which the wire is fiat in cross section adjacent and exterior of the point of emergence from said tag and is substantially round in cross section elsewhere, whereby the wire bends most readily adjacent said point of emergence.

LEWIS E. WILLIAMS. 

